Page 16 of The Duke of Kisses
David carried Fanny to the curricle, and Fanny saw a crowd of people coming down the drive, some on horseback, and even a few vehicles that were nearly upon them.
“Blast it all,” she murmured.
He followed her gaze just before he set her into the vehicle. He looked toward Lavinia. “Hurry and go before the vultures descend.”
Lavinia nodded as she picked up the reins. “Right.”
“Thank you,” Fanny called to him as Lavinia steered them away.
Fanny was suddenly cold and wrapped her arms around herself to ward away the chill.
“I’ll get you home as soon as possible. I’m getting quite good at this. Beck has been giving me lessons.” Lavinia said this with a sparkle in her eye and a note of giddiness in her tone. She’d been married a few weeks, and her bliss was on display for all the world to see. She glanced toward Fanny very briefly. “What was going on with you and David—I should really call him St. Ives, but since you told us about ‘David’ from the start, that will be difficult—down by the water?”
“I have trouble with that too. I’m afraid I can’t think of him as anything other than David. I hope I don’t forget propriety and address him the wrong way.”
“You mean the way you two nearly forgot propriety before you fell into the lake?”
“Whatever do you mean?” Fanny belatedly recalled that Lavinia had heard her say that he was about to kiss her. Regardless of what Lavinia might have seen, she knew the truth of it. “Never mind. You know what was going on. Why even ask me?”
“Because I wanted the full story, not just what I could see.”
So she had come to a conclusion without hearing what Fanny had said. Fanny tipped her head toward Lavinia. “And what did you see?”
“Two people about to kiss. Again. Is he going to court you?”
“We didn’t discuss it. I’m afraid my clumsiness prevented further conversation.”
“He should court you. Or stop kissing you.” Lavinia shook her head. “Don’t listen to me. I am not a paragon of virtue.”
“No, you aren’t. If memory serves—and only because you informed usafterthe fact—you were kissing Beck long before there was any formal courtship. Did you evenhavea formal courtship?”
“As I said, I am not a good example.” Lavinia turned them from Piccadilly up Berkeley Street. “You should stay home tonight to ensure you haven’t taken a chill.”
She was probably right, but Fanny didn’t want to. She wanted to go wherever David would be. Unfortunately, she didn’t know where that was. “I doubt Ivy will let me anyhow. She mothers everyone.”
“Good. You require mothering this evening.” Lavinia drove into the square and pulled in front of Clare House.
Lavinia’s groom rushed from the back to help Fanny descend. She walked toward the house, her feet squishing in her probably ruined half boots.
The butler, Tarenton, opened the door, and his face immediately registered shock. He turned and barked at a footman to fetch the duchess.
“I’m fine, Tarenton, just damp.” That was a rather gargantuan understatement.
Lavinia had followed her into the house. “Do you want me to stay?”
“No, Ivy will take care of me,” Fanny said as another chill tripped across her shoulders. “Though I do think a hot bath will be in order.” She sent a smile toward Tarenton, who took himself off to presumably set things in motion.
“We’ll check on you tomorrow.” Lavinia gave her a concerned smile before turning and quitting the house.
Fanny realized she was dripping on the marble floor and made her way through the hall to the wide staircase. Ivy was already on her way down, her jaw gaping in horror.
“What on earth happened?” She rushed to the bottom and put her hand on Fanny to guide her up the stairs. “You fell in the Serpentine, obviously,” she said, answering her own question.
Fanny lifted her sodden skirts as she climbed. “How is it obvious?”
Ivy’s answering look of sarcasm nearly made Fanny laugh. “You were at Hyde Park. You like to walk down by the Serpentine. And you’re you.”
“Meaning I would fall in.”
